Final Gathering
by Choris Onyma
Summary: My response to Ichaichahater's Envy vs Animorphs challenge. One-shot. T for violence and character death. I reckon that it's rather sad...


A/N: Well, I have finally written this fic! The Animorphs vs Envy challenge from Ichaichahater. Warning though, this is kind of if not seriously angsty with a lot of character death for a one-shot. Enjoy.

Envy vs Animorphs- Final Gathering

Jake POV-

Walking through the driving rain in the depths of the night was not a good thing for your nerves, especially after having to deal with the living nightmare of the Yeerks. I could barely see a thing through the curtains of water, but I knew that something or someone was out there. Turning around I took comfort in the presence of the rest of the Animorphs; Marco, Rachel, Cassie, Ax and even Tobias was with us, perched on Rachel's shoulder. Out of nowhere a voice called, "Why are you little lost kids here?"  
>I stopped, not knowing the voice. It couldn't be a Yeerk… probably as they didn't know that it was us behind all of the attacks. But I feel something… like this is important. "We're just passing through," I said, putting all of my unfelt confidence into the words.<br>Something thudded on the ground nearby and I could just make out a hazy silhouette of a person in the darkness. "Well, looks like this is the end of the road… for you."  
>Behind be I felt my friends tense, ready to stand by me to the end. "What is that supposed to mean!"<br>Tilting its head slightly the person laughed, "You're not going to find out."

Without warning the person lunged at us with inhuman speed, their feet making barely a splash in the gathering puddles. I moved to the side as fast as I could, hoping that my allies had been able to do the same in time, and as he passed, I saw nothing but evil in his violet hued eyes and a manic grin that sent shivers down my spine.

Jake! Tobias called in thought-speech, terror in his mental voice, He got Cassie!  
>NO! That couldn't be possible, but as I looked around I saw her limp body lying in a pool of her own blood that was blending with the water falling from the unmerciful sky. I began to choke, a horrible lump forming in my throat. Fury was the next thing after the cold. Burning fury. Barely thinking I morphed into the tiger, the power of the big cat surging through my body and the instincts tugging at my mind, but I let them take over, losing myself to the pure animal. A deep rumbling growl resounded through my throat, which refused to be contained and burst out as a sky-shattering roar. I breathed deeply, taking in the surrounding scents; a hawk, a bear, an Andalite, a single wolf and a human that wasn't human. My tiger mind dismissed the familiar scents, but the human that was not human made me wary. Not afraid, the tiger was never afraid. An enraged howl split my thoughts and a grey blur rushed past, jaws snapping at the thing before us.<br>DIE, MONSTER! Marco screamed as he sunk his teeth and claws into its flesh, but to no avail.  
>Prince Jake, this creature is not human. I believe it to be… Ax was cut off, a sinister laughter echoing from where he was. Snarling I coiled my muscles and leaped, extending my claws ready to rip its throat out and…<br>The screeching of a hawk followed by the furious roar of a brown bear were beside me as I flew through the air, a haze of orange and black fur. I was surprised when I met nothing air, my prey was agile… I didn't like it. I took a moment to resurface and collect my thoughts, Cassie was probably dead, and so was Ax. That left Tobias, Rachel, Marco and me against one monster. Come out you coward, Rachel said in open thought speech, You can't hide forever!

"I suppose you're right," it said, walking into open view, seemingly completely unharmed. Snickering he spread his arms wide, in the inviting Rachel to attack him. I wanted so badly to join her, but my instincts told me that it was a trap. Rachel bared her teeth in a feral animalistic way before charging at the thing with all her bulk. Too late I saw what was happening. Everything seemed to slow down as he nimbly leapt off the ground and landed on her neck with a sickening crack.

I was beyond words now; nothing could describe the rage and loss I felt. Never had this happened before in our time fighting the Yeerks and their various acquired hosts. Tobias was radiating waves of sorrow as he bomb-dived at our adversary, wicked talons extended and aimed at his face, the rain ignored in a final effort.  
>"Oh? A little birdy. Fool!" He said as he caught Tobias, unfeeling of the talons that had pierced his hand. Then he began slowly plucking out feathers; a few vital flight feathers, a handful of tail feathers, an expression of sick pleasure on his face as he listened to Tobias' screams before throwing him into a nearby wall, leaving a red stain where his body hit. It was just Marco and I now. This was impossible; he had taken out nearly all of us barely taking a scratch.<br>Jake… I'm going in to attack him. I'm not going to survive, I'm sure of it but… Marco sighed heavily, I'm sorry.

In a flurry of grey fur, ivory teeth and ebony claws he attacked, his jaws seeking out the throat. I could only hang back and watch as he was beaten as the others were, yelps of pain seared into my memory for the rest of my life which I had a feeling wasn't going to be long. A final howl echoed through the night, the mangy wolf that was my best friend admitting defeat and falling to the ground. I was the only one left. I had to do this, to avenge my fallen friends. I padded dangerously towards our enemy, Who are you? Why are you doing this! I cried, not caring anymore if I looked weak.  
>"My name is Envy, and that's all you need to know before you die," he said, his purple eyes staring into mine. I was going to attack him, going to kill him but I blinked for a second and before me stood Cassie in the place of Envy, "I always love doing this," 'Cassie' said, a malice in the voice that was not hers, "Taking the form of a loved one before ending their life. Killed by the hands of a friend…"<p>

I hung my head in defeat. I knew that it wasn't Cassie, she was lying dead somewhere in this dark place, but even though I knew it wasn't her I just couldn't bring myself to attack the being that held her shape. I can't attack you like that, I whispered in thought speech.

"Didn't think so," Envy replied, picking up a narrow metal pipe with a jagged end, "Any last words?"  
>Yeah. Know this; I die knowing that I did everything I could for my friends. Know that as you kill me you have destroyed six lives that could have saved the world. Know that the Animorphs have fought together at their final gathering.<p>

"Hah, such words are for those who care. I don't."

And as he spoke those last words he used Cassie's hands to plunge the steel pipe through my flesh, through my ribs and through my heart. In my last moments I saw Envy walking away, still holding the bloody pipe, and not looking back once.

AN: Done! I thought that this was rather sad… I listened to some great music while writing this; Final Gathering fanmade KH3 OST. You should listen to it while reading this fic, it gives a whole new level to everything.


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